The Deacon's Bench
In his latest posting, Dr. Peters sums up the current situation and offers four possible options:
1. Deacons and priests, even if married, must observe perfect and perpetual continence.
2. Canon law requires priests, but not deacons, to observe perfect and perpetual continence.
3. Canon law requires priests (and perhaps deacons, mutatis mutandis) to observe only periodic or temporary continence in regard to the celebration of the Eucharist.
4. Neither deacons nor priests, if married, need observe any sort of continence.
He concludes with this observation:
Western married deacons and priests, despite belonging to the Church that has unquestionably held with nearly absolute consistency for a celibate (and, even if married, a completely continent) clergy, have—doubtless for lack of direction—adopted an approach to continence that, not only has no support in Western law or tradition, but fails to satisfy even the mitigated continence expectations of various Eastern Churches.
Read the rest. There’s also a link at his site to a more detailed analysis.
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